SIGMA 60-600

[Emmanuel Rondeau]

Hi All,

Has anyone experience with this lens? I am considering it for a wildlife project where the CANON 50-1000 might be a bit too heavy.

Many thanks,
Emmanuel.

 

[Michael Male]

Hi Emmanuel,

I used the Sigma 60-600 extensively from a floating blind May-July, 2019, instead of my trusty old Canon FD 150-600. The Sigma’s wider range made it the better choice.

Its more recent design and manufacture (about 40 years more recent!) was also readily apparent. It is a sharp lens with improved contrast over the FD. Seeing sharp focus with both EVF and 7” LCD was easier with the Sigma than the 150-600. The 150-600's main advantages over the Sigma are that it doesn’t change length when zoomed and, most important, zoom and focus are controlled with one hand on a knob, rotating for focus and push pulling for FL change. That makes finding action and crashing in much quicker.

The May - July filming was for a large screen production (Imax screen size.) The 60-600 was on my 8K Red. Alongside it for high frame rate slow motion I was using a Phantom, with the Canon 200-400 f4 L lens. The 200-400 is considered a very sharp lens and the 60-600 looked fine intercut.

I’ve also used the Canon 50-1000, both in a floating blind and tripod mounted on land. It is an amazing lens especially when rigged with pan handle zoom control. Compared to the Sigma the main drawbacks are weight (as you mentioned) and of course purchase price.

The Sigma is an auto focus stills lens, so a big negative it has for me, besides needing to move my left hand between focus and zoom collars, is the small amount of rotation on the focus. The Canon 50-1000 has 180 degrees on the focus. The Sigma is less. That makes it more difficult to follow focus precisely on a subject that is changing distance during a shot.

The change in length and in weight distribution between wide and tele on the Sigma is also significant. The length change can be an issue when shooting from a blind/hide and trying to keep lens movement inconspicuous.

Recently I purchased the Sigma though as a cost effective optic. I’ve had the tripod mount foot on the lens re-machined, so that I can support the lens from 15mm light weight rods - instead of using a bridge plate system. It makes for a very lightweight set up, with the limitations I’ve mentioned. And of course it doesn’t go to 1000mm with a flip in converter optic to 1500mm!

All the Best,

Michael

 

[Hal Long]

Wow, Michael. That's a great review! Very useful!

 

[Willem Berents]

Sigma gave me this lens in order to test it for a large screen production (Wild life). I support the conclusions from Michael. Would like to add that at 60 mm the lens is soft. My Epic dragon (DSCM1 + Nikon mount) does not support the lens, so autofocus + lens data are not available. Also setting aperture on camera is not possible. Red is not updating the firmware for DSCM1 any longer, so nothing will change there. With a DSCM1 camera you will have to shoot at 'default' aperture (changing with the focal length), unless you will be using third party adapters. But, still, even without the "support" the lens is a perfect cost-effective choice that works for me.